The stakeholders, who made the call at a one day public dialogue tagged “Nigeria Drug Control Response: How Do We Prevent The Unintended Consequences Of Human Rights Abuse And Public Health Challenges” in Abuja yesterday, noted that Nigeria’s drug laws were made as a responsible issue rather than needs. Speaking at the forum, which was organised by Youth Rise, a non-governmental organisation, which focuses on drug related issues, the UNODC regional advisor for west and central Africa, Gunasekaran Rengaswamy, pledged that the UN supports the organisation’s quest to redefine Nigerian drug laws as this will help to shape the society better. He noted that instead of merely focusing on the punishment of offenders, the drug laws should seek to rehabilitate offenders and make them see reasons why they must avoid drugs. Also speaking, the coordinator of Youth Rise, Adeolu Ogunrombi noted that the event does not only focus on how to prevent drug abuse, but it is also targeted at how effective Nigeria’s drug laws have been and the way forward. He explained that in the course of the organisation’s research for the programme, it was discovered that some offenders, who have been convicted and sent to jail for drug offences, often come out worse, as they become hardened while in prison. He however, called on the government to re-examine these laws, which only seek to punish offenders, and consider laws which will help addicts become better persons. Some stakeholders, who participated in the event and supported the ideas, include the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Legal Aids Council and some other stakeholders.]]>